Welcome to the Real World
by BabygirlSash
Summary: Edward discovers he has a soul - in the most astonishing way... E/H slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own **Harry Potter** or **Twilight** – they belong to J. K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer, respectively.

**Author's note: **Yes, yes – I've done another one. What can say – it had to be written… Enjoy!

**Welcome to the Real World**

**Summary: **Edward discovers he has a soul – in the most astonishing way… E/H slash.

**:_._._._._._._._._:**

Volterra – its beauty paraded to perfection, boasted about by thousands – was entirely lost on Edward. With his mind clouded in such darkness, all he could see in front of him, ahead of him, was a desolate desert. Bella was gone. She was gone and Edward could not find it in himself to go back – back to the way he used to be, alone and emotionally destitute, watching as life passed him by without pause. What little taste of truly living he had received had been enough, and now he was addicted. He could not imagine what it would be like to never feel that high again.

It did not matter that the voice in his head, becoming more insistent as time passed, kept telling him that he was settling. He told himself that he did not need more than normal, even if he could have it. The fact was he was content for the first time. He simply could not give that up, even if doing so meant attaining something greater. That something greater was not definite in his eyes; the _normal_ he had gained with Bella was, though. Edward sighed as his reasoning got ever weaker. His Sire would be so disappointed in him.

Then again, Carlisle was more than just his Sire. Carlisle Cullen had become to Edward a true father, in all but blood. And the relatively young vampire had misjudged his patriarch more than once previously. If Edward was to be honest with himself, something that he knew would hurt that much more, he would admit that Carlisle probably was not displeased with him, but worried about him, scared for him, and waiting patiently for him to come back home.

Yet here he was, the very first Childe of Dr. Carlisle Cullen, planning to get himself killed. And the absolute worst part: there was not even any way to keep this fact secret. What with his sister Alice's visions, the bronze-haired Edward was certain that every family member of his already knew what he was going to do. But he was trying not to think about that. If he was to consider his family now – Carlisle and his profound loss as a Sire _and _a father, Rose and her guilt, Emmett and his conspicuous lack of rowdiness, Jasper trying so hard to stay strong and calm, all while trying to console Alice as she let her grief be known to all – he would burn himself from the inside out before he even hit the sun and attracted the attention of the Volturi, the vampire leaders. And he needed their attention, considering they would be the ones to finish him off.

As for Esme, his darling mother figure, the woman who found it in her heart to love him so unconditionally despite all he had done – Edward shook his head harshly. He could not even think of her at all. If there was one being in existence that could make him back out of his decision now, it was Esme. He could not allow that; he could not afford to.

Edward glanced at the over-large clock of the square once again. Eleven forty-five. Soon it would be noon and the time would be perfect; he would be able to carry out the plan he had finally settled on. It was quite a simple strategy, but it would get the job done effectively. After all, sparkling like a pile of diamonds in a crowd full of humans was bound to grab attention. No one would be able to deny his unnaturalness then. The secret of vampires' existence would be out – perhaps not immediately, but it would set the ball rolling. The rulers of their world, the Volturi coven, would have no choice but to grant him his wish then. They would have to kill him.

Eleven fifty. Edward could almost taste the freedom that would come with non-existence. The lithe being began to unbutton his shirt, anxious for the end – not least of all so he could stop thinking of the destruction he knew he'd be leaving in his wake and, more than that, so he could stop feeling the crushing weight of his guilt.

He had just reached the third button on his shirt when he caught movement in his periphery vision. Turning far more quickly than any human being could accomplish, and not even trying to care about pretenses, Edward came face to face with… a teenaged boy.

At least, that was what he appeared to be. There was something fundamentally _strange_ about him, though the vampire was not able to pinpoint exactly what that was. Part of the oddity, however, was that the boy seemed to be a mass of contradictions – at least, where his aesthetics were concerned.

He gave off a look that was at once classic and so familiar, yet utterly flawless – like a boy next door who happened to be breathtaking. His light golden skin was smooth as marble, but with a visible softness. His jaw was firm and quite masculine, but he had lips that were enticingly full. His midnight black hair seemed like silk, but was so disheveled that he might have just rolled out of bed. His arched brows and high cheekbones spoke of aristocracy, and yet there was a look in his eyes that told tales of hardships and of seeing far too much in far too little time. And his eyes – have there ever been eyes so vibrantly green as these?

Even his clothes were somewhat contradictory. He wore all black – soft black trousers, which also seemed durable; a black long-sleeved top with a Chinese-style collar, which was appealingly form fitting; and tough black boots that also seemed to offer complete comfort. All in all, he was the picture of understated sophistication, yet simultaneously gave of the air of an accomplished warrior.

An enigma, if ever there was one….

Edward blinked, and blinked again, checking to see if the vision before him might waver. The boy appeared quite solid, however, and the vampire shook his head firmly to get a hold of himself.

The youth – for he seemed to be no more than eighteen, at a stretch – looked at him curiously, his brow furrowed in confusion and his nose scrunched slightly, in the most adorable way.

_Adorable_? Where had that come from?

And with that, Edward seemed, finally, to have found his voice.

"Who are you?" he asked, coming across more hostile than he intended.

Thankfully, the other did not seem to pay this any mind. In fact, he seemed much too shocked that he was being spoken to at all.

"You can see me?" he asked dubiously, a British accent coloring his voice.

Edward frowned. "Of course I can see you – why would I not?"

The vampire wondered why he was being so caustic towards this stranger – it certainly was not warranted. Perhaps it was because the boy represented an unforeseen, uncontrollable obstacle to his plan.

The teenager did no more than raise an eyebrow at this (quite an alluring look, though Edward instantly shook this thought away), and ignored the tone and the question altogether, answering, sort of, the first query instead.

"Hmmm... Well, regardless, my name is irrelevant."

This irritated Edward more than it should have. He found that, contrary to the statement, the youth's name was of utmost importance to him; he _needed _to know it. This made no sense at all, though. After all, the boy was right – his name was irrelevant. So why was it that the Cullen wished to be told it so badly?

"Why are you here?" he asked instead, forcing himself not to press the issue, while also putting in the effort to calm himself down.

This idea flew promptly out the window, however, upon hearing the boy's answer.

"To do my job," was the simple response – with the hint of amusement in the teenager's tone, though, and the slight upward twitch of his lips, it was clear that he was, at least, aware that he was being rather irksome.

"Your job?" Edward asked, refusing to be baited. "What does your job have to do with me?"

"Everything," the boy replied plainly. The next question, however, floored the vampire. "You are planning to kill yourself, are you not?"

To say that Edward was surprised would be a gross understatement; he was flabbergasted – which he was sure could be seen clearly on his face.

"How could you possibly _know_ that?" he asked, his voice somewhat hoarse due to his shock.

He shook his then, deciding he really didn't need the answer (and not entirely certain he wanted it at all – who _was_ this person?) "Look, even if I was, I don't see what that has to do with you. It is not any of your business."

The unnamed teenager gave a smile at this, one filled with something Edward did not like in the least – pity.

"That's where you're wrong," he said, never losing his calm even in the face of the vampire's ire. "It is _my_ business more than almost anyone else's."

"Why?" asked the irate vampire – who was becoming increasingly aggravated. It seemed the more he talked to the enigma before him, the less he knew! "And please, _please_, don't be cryptic; just answer my question!"

The teen gave a long suffering sigh, closing his eyes as though asking the Fates to give him strength. Edward could not understand this in the least as it was he who was being kept in the dark. He did have the presence of mind to understand that, at least in part, he was being teased. Thus, he simply rolled his eyes and waited, though (quite surprisingly for him) he did feel his lips twitch into a ghost of a smile.

"Listen," the boy said, causing Edward to school his features quickly, "I'm not in the habit of having conversation before this happens. But since you insist, all you need to know is that you die and I reap. That's it."

A short, bewildered silence followed this proclamation.

"Reap...?" queried the bronze-haired being, wanting to confirm that this was truly what he had heard. "As in my _soul_?" he further clarified.

At the other's firm nod, Edward scoffed. He could not help it, really. Of all the ridiculous things...

"Well," he said slowly, as though being indulgent to a particularly imaginative child, "even if I were to believe you, you're wasting your time – I don't have a soul."

While this fact (as Edward saw it) normally depressed the vampire no end, in this instance, though he could not fully rationalize why, he said it quite smugly.

To his disappointment, though, the raven simply chuckled wryly at this.

"I believe I would be in a better position to tell who does and does not have a soul – it's somewhat necessary in my line of work, you see?" he stated almost mockingly. "So whatever you've decided in all your ignorant glory – don't state it as fact. All right?"

Edward growled in impatience, and not a little indignation. This _kid_ stood here spouting utter rubbish, yet had the audacity to mock _him_!

"You don't understand," he ground out, his body tense with the effort of retaining some semblance of calm. "I'm a va-"

"A vampire – yes, I know what you are. It does not change the way things work," was the adamant response.

The Cullen was, once more, rather stunned. How was it that this boy had all of this information? Who was he?

Shaking his head, knowing he would not be getting answers to those particular questions, Edward pushed on. "Then you know that vampires don't have souls – how can we?"

"Look," the unknown teen said, his own frustration beginning to bleed through, "if you didn't have a soul, I wouldn't have made this trip. It would have been pointless. But here I am."

He said this simply and steadily, as though this settled the matter.

Edward, however, had the distinct, and singularly most disturbing, feeling of his whole perception of the world being torn apart. He tried valiantly to cling to his denial, though.

"B-but that can't... I've always..."

"Yes, like I said," the boy interrupted carelessly, "you had made up your mind about something and, as is the way of the youth apparently, have based your entire life (as it were) on that belief – regardless of whether or not it was actually true."

The vampire's head snapped up suddenly, his gaze swinging to face the teenager.

"But that would hardly matter if I did not believe you," he said, almost desperately, finding something, however petulant, to hold onto that would not send the world crashing down around him. "And I have no reason, whatsoever, to believe that you are telling the truth. You could not possibly be…."

This time it was the stranger's turn to roll his eyes, deftly ignoring the vampire's near panicked state.

"Shall I prove myself to you, then?" he asked sweetly, while his eyes flashed an acid green.

It seemed Edward had managed to hit a nerve – he was not entirely certain he should be proud of that fact. He did not have the time for that, however, as (without even giving him the opportunity to answer) the boy moved.

It was sudden, and without doubt supernatural. The vampire had blinked and the teenager was directly in his face, nose to nose. Not a split second later, Edward gasped in shock. Looking down, he registered the strangest sight he had ever seen – not to mention the strangest sensation he had ever felt.

The boy's arm – all the way up to his elbow – was embedded into Edward's torso! It was not a painful feeling, the living dead being realized, for it was a non-corporeal being who had punched through him.

_Non-corporeal..._ Edward thought vaguely, disconnectedly. _Was the boy a ghost...?_

But then, with a gasp, he found he could no longer think coherently. Warmth emanated within him, the likes of which he had never felt before. It originated from what he would guess was his very core, spreading outward throughout his entire body – his entire _being_. Edward felt… whole, suddenly aware of something that he now knew, with utmost certainty, had always been there.

Almost immediately, the feeling was gone, snatched from him callously. He opened his eyes (having never realized they had closed to begin with) to stare accusingly at the stranger in front of him. The boy, however, seemed just as shaken by what had happened as he himself was.

The look was gone before he could think on it, though, and the teenager spoke once again.

"That, dear Edward," he said, clearly making an effort to remain steady, and succeeding, "is your soul."

"You know my name," the vampire said dazedly, still reeling from what he had just felt and from having his world altered. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the haze that remained.

He could not think about this now, he decided firmly. He had to be away from here, clear his head first, then attempt to wrap his mind around this truth that he was so forcefully made aware of. He needed to be home, he realized with sudden clarity. He _needed_ to be home, with his family.

"But... but why are you telling me this?" he asked, not yet willing to be away from this being.

The green-eyed boy raised a single eyebrow, bewildered. "Because you _asked_..."

"No," said Edward before shaking his head again. "I mean yes, I did, but don't you just have to take my soul once I'm dead?" He was finding very little reason now to bat away the teen's claims of being the… Reaper? "Why did you show up before it even happened?"

"Normally, things would have played out that way," the boy conceded. "I always, as it happens, appear before the actual death, but I am only seen by the soul after it happens." He frowned then, showing for the first time his uncertainty. "For some reason, which I have not been able to fathom, you are... _special_, and could see me from the start."

Edward beat down the joy that unexpectedly rose within him, hearing those words, but more importantly, from this particular person's mouth.

"Does that make you... Death?" he asked instead. He did not know how he would feel if he received an affirmative response.

The raven smiled disarmingly. "The top dog himself?" he said with amusement. "No, no I'm not. Mythology labels us, me and those with the same job as me, as Reapers. But they are in a different category. I am one of Death's Soldiers – you can think of me as being part of the elite division of Reapers."

"Soldiers?" The vampire's tone was slightly bewildered. "But that would imply combat."

The boy dipped his head in confirmation and spoke. "Indeed. Despite what you might think, some souls aren't really... cooperative. And then some are a lot more aggressive in their fight to stay. Combat becomes crucial in those cases."

"And you're here because _Death_ thought my soul would fight?" was the incredulous question in return.

"Not _your_ soul, particularly," the teen clarified patiently. "The souls of supernatural beings, in general, tend to be fiercer than the rest – that is why _I_ am here."

Edward frowned then, contemplating things he never thought he would. "So… so w-where would you have taken my soul... once you had reaped it?"

Bright green considered Edward seriously for a moment, before he answered in a single word. "On."

This, quite obviously, told the Cullen heir nothing. "On? On _where_?"

The boy shrugged casually. "I don't know."

You don't... how do you not know?" This confounded Edward.

"Listen, mate, I really don't know," was the firm response. "I can't tell you where 'on' is; I've never been myself. I can't tell you about heaven or hell or even if they actually exist – they might not. I can't tell you about any judgment, either, because I don't know if that occurs at all. All I do is lead your soul to the door – you're the one who has to walk through it."

The vampire was fairly certain, by the calm and steady way that it was said, that the boy had given this speech before. He decided to leave it be, asking another important question instead.

"What if... what if I do not wish to walk through the door right now?"

Again, ethereal viridian eyes seemed to pin him to the spot. He broke the connection more quickly, though, and shrugged again. "Hey, you're not dead yet. This is a _suicide_ attempt, as far I can figure, that you haven't got around to. You can change your mind." The apparent teenager met and held his gaze then, willing Edward to comprehend the seriousness of his next words. "Once it's done, though, there'd be no going back – I _will_ reap you and your soul _will_ move on."

Edward gave the boy a calculating look. So much more was said, there was so much more depth behind his statements, than the actual words he heard afforded.

"You don't like the idea of suicide," the vampire stated. He knew it was true and, thus, did not need to phrase it as a question. The teen answered nonetheless.

"Of course I don't like it – why would anyone like it?"

The Cullen heir rolled his eyes. "I know that. I mean the act of suicide specifically affects_ you_. It disturbs you more than in the usual indirect sense."

The raven paused, clearly weighing whether or not to indulge Edward with a serious response. The eternal teenager sincerely hoped he would (though he could not say why it was important to him), and he felt rewarded when the boy did.

"I can't understand it," he said simply, but the frustration he felt at his lack of comprehension was palpable. "And I'm not devaluing the things people go through that get them to this point, to the point of truly believing that killing themselves is the best option... but it's still not something I'll ever be able to… I don't know… tolerate, I suppose."

"So you would have had no sympathy?" Edward asked innocently, not a hint of accusation in his voice, but mere acceptance.

The strange boy shook his head in denial. "I'd have sympathy – for your mother and father, if you have them, who'll have to live with your death; for any siblings you might have, who'll be left behind in the wake of what you've done; to any friends you have, who'll mourn due to your passing. But for you – not very much, no. I'm sorry," he added, attempting to lessen the sting of his words, and the pain that erupted in Edward as his guilt came back full force. "For you it would be more pity than sympathy, I think."

He shrugged, making eye contact once again. "Of course, I don't know you. What I think and feel should hardly be of great significance to you. And, who knows, perhaps if I knew you as your loved ones do, I may have an entirely different view on the matter."

Edward sighed, unable to fully stem his remorse this time as he did before. He comforted himself with the fact that there was no way, now that he was more aware of certain facts, that he could go through with his plan. He had just found out, without a doubt, that he had a soul – a _soul_. He was not even going to think about giving that away so carelessly again. "It does not matter now. I don't think I'll be –"

He stopped speaking when the boy before him cocked his head, as though listening to something. This was strange because Edward, who had the gift of vampiric hearing, could not hear anything that might have caused this.

"I have to go now," the teenager said, casual as anything, and with a smile upon his lips.

"Wait!" the vampire exclaimed, almost panicking at the thought of the boy leaving, of never seeing him again. This surprised him quite a bit, yet he could not deny the truth of it. "I mean… why?"

The raven raised an eyebrow, but replied. "Well, it looks like you've decided to change your mind – there's no reason for me to stay."

He paused contemplatively before adding, "But before I go..." He touched two fingers to each of Edward's temples and the Cullen felt warmth spread from their tips. "This conversation never happened."

Turning around, the boy was about to leave, but turned back one more time. "My name's Harry, by the way," he said, a slight smirk on his face. He then turned again, and was gone in a wisp of dark smoke.

Edward, unfreezing finally from the stupor he had been in, looked around frantically. No trace remained of the boy – _Harry_, his mind supplied. It was as if he had never existed. But Edward knew that he did. Even now, so soon after the encounter, the vampire knew, with certainty, that those vividly green eyes would be haunting his thoughts from then on.

He turned around once more, only just having enough time to notice her, before Bella Swan, the girl he cared for, the one he had left back in Forks, Washington – the one who was supposed to have _died_ – crashed into him. Automatically, his arms came up around her, catching her before she hurt herself. And yet, even though he should be utterly shocked that Bella was very much alive, he found he was still incredibly distracted.

"Edward?" came Bella's frantic voice, her breathing labored. "Edward, are you okay? What's going on?"

Instead of answering, Edward swiveled around suddenly, the softest of noises behind him alerting him to the presence of others.

Not much time after, two slight figures emerged from the shadows, almost gliding instead of walking. "That is exactly what we'd like to know," the angelic voice of Jane said.

**:_._._._._._._._._:**

**Author's note: **Well – this is the latest plot bunny that insisted on being written. What do you guys think? I do not have any definite plans for this story, so if you guys like it enough to have me continue, please leave a review letting me know.

Any suggestions you may have for how you want this story to go will definitely be taken into consideration. If, however, there isn't really any interest for this fic, then I will rework it so that it can stand as a one-shot.

Let me know :) Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own **Harry Potter** or **Twilight** – they belong to J. K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer, respectively.

**Author's note: **Okay – firstly, the apology. To everyone reading this fic, who've been waiting for this second chapter, I am really sorry it's so late. This is especially to lostfeather1, who I told the post would happen weeks ago! That was the plan, I promise, but year end at my workplace is freaking hectic! Really, really sorry. Secondly, and most importantly, thank you all so much for the reviews! The review replies are on their way – I do not ignore them, I treasure them all.

Further ramblings at the end, for now – Enjoy :)

**Welcome to the Real World**

**Summary: **Edward discovers he has a soul – in the most astonishing way… E/H slash.

**Chapter Two: The Times – They are a-Changing**

**:_._._._._._._._._:**

_**Previously…**_

Edward, unfreezing finally from the stupor he had been in, looked around frantically. No trace remained of the boy – _Harry_, his mind supplied. It was as if he had never existed. But Edward knew that he did. Even now, so soon after the encounter, the vampire knew, with certainty, that those vividly green eyes would be haunting his thoughts from then on.

He turned around once more, only just having enough time to notice her, before Bella Swan, the girl he cared for, the one he had left back in Forks, Washington – the one who was supposed to have _died_ – crashed into him. Automatically, his arms came up around her, catching her before she hurt herself. And yet, even though he should be utterly shocked that Bella was very much alive, he found he was still incredibly distracted.

"Edward?" came Bella's frantic voice, her breathing labored. "Edward, are you okay? What's going on?"

Instead of answering, Edward swiveled around suddenly, the softest of noises behind him alerting him to the presence of others.

Not much time after, two slight figures emerged from the shadows, almost gliding instead of walking. "That is exactly what we'd like to know," the angelic voice of Jane said.

**:_._._._._._._._._:**

Sadistic bitch.

Edward had never called anyone that – indeed, he made a point of never using such coarse language at all. Being born and raised in the early twentieth century still played a major role in who the young vampire was as a person, no matter how many decades he'd seen.

However, if there was one being who truly deserved such a term, it was Jane of the Volturi. Edward swore he could still feel the after effects of her 'gift' – to create the illusion of torture in one's mind. Of course, when one was actually made to experience this, the fact that it was an illusion mattered little; the pain felt real enough.

The Cullen heir was not as bitter as he had thought he would be when considering the Volturi, though. In fact, Edward's smile turned smug at the thought of Aro – the self-appointed leader of leaders – in particular.

Jane and Alec had carted himself, Bella and Alice back into the Volturi throne/feeding room. Once there, Aro had wanted to use his own gift on him. His ability was also telepathy, but he could only gain access to another's mind through touch. His gift was also much more advanced than Edward's own brand, as he could attain every thought, and every memory, whereas the Cullen was only able to read surface thoughts.

For a moment, when Aro had asked (commanded) that he be allowed to read Edward's thoughts, the bronze-haired vampire had felt true terror. It was an odd emotion for the normally stoic youth to feel, and not least of all because of the sheer potency of it. Another strange thing about it was the source of the fear.

Harry.

Edward had not wanted anyone, least of all the leader of the Volturi, to know about the reaper (_Soldier_, his mind corrected instantly). The possessive feeling he had toward the raven-haired being was unreasonable, considering the vampire had only met him once and for such a short time. Nevertheless, it was also undeniable and he would gain nothing from trying to deny or resist it.

Of course, the fear was for naught. Aro had managed to read his mind just fine, but he garnered no information whatsoever about Harry. It was as if Edward's experience with the Soldier had never occurred – which was completely inaccurate as the memories were there, they were just somehow inaccessible. This was a great relief to the Cullen heir, even as Harry's words came back to him – _"this conversation never happened"_. Somehow, the attractive – _odd,_ Edward corrected himself firmly – the _odd_ being had managed to hide the memories of himself away in Edward's own head.

But then this led to another, more puzzling yet quite obvious, realization for Edward. He could not read Harry's mind! The shock of meeting someone like the other 'teenager', indeed the sheer surprising nature of the entire conversation, had caused Edward to miss this incredible fact. Looking back, though, he saw that there had been utter silence from Harry's mind. He had not tried to read the other's thoughts, but that mattered little. Edward did not usually have to try; the thoughts just came to him.

It was very curious. And all this did was make Edward wish to get to know him better, and not just because he could not get inside his head. A whole rash of questions surfaced for the vampire, the answers to which, for some reason, lay with the stranger. The bewildering thing, however, was the question that occurred to him first and most insistently: Would he ever meet the ethereal green-eyed being again?

The very thought that he would never again see Harry was… unacceptable. He could not believe that – even if he could not imagine _how_ he would meet the raven again. He only knew that he had to – it was imperative.

And this is what led to the 'youngest' Cullen, so lost in thought, pacing his room with such vigor that one would swear he was attempting to wear a hole in the floor. This was incredibly uncharacteristic of Edward, who had never in his life exhibited such passionate emotion – not outwardly, in any event.

Needless to say, though, his family was bewildered.

Having lived with them for decades upon decades, Edward did not even need his gift of telepathy to know this for certain. Well, all things considered, he could not blame them for feeling this way. He had been acting awfully strange since returning from Italy. At least, the behavior was strange from their points of view – to him, though, this felt inevitable. To him, it was simply the next step on his journey, albeit after remaining frozen for far too long.

Of course, all of this may have been easier for his family to digest if he had not decided to make such sudden and fundamental changes. They currently only knew of one, though: his adamant decision to _not_ rekindle his relationship with Bella. That had been a definite shock to everyone's system – even Rosalie, who had never kept quiet about her dislike of his choice to date a human, especially Bella Swan.

But it was necessary, Edward felt. It just did not feel right to continue the romance that he had ended eight months previous. It most certainly was not right, on any level, to keep leading Bella on – which is exactly what it felt like he was doing. A new guilt settled over Edward as he thought this. If he were brutally honest with himself (which he had not been in recent times), then he would have to admit that his own selfishness was the basis of his entire relationship with Bella. Carlisle would tell him that he was being too harsh on himself again, but the Cullen heir disagreed.

While he did sincerely feel for the girl, really did care for her greatly and even love her in a certain sense, the bottom line was that it was not what he had pretended it was. He had tried to force the reality of it into something deeper and more profound than it actually was. And no matter what excuses anyone could make for this, he knew that it was unfair – on himself, but more importantly on Bella. She deserved real, deep love from someone truly willing to open up to her. She did not deserve someone playing about with emotions he had only ever watched others feel, but never experienced himself.

And for what?

So that he could use her as a means of alleviating his own sense of isolation. So that he may no longer feel stagnant. He could not, would not, exploit her in such a way any longer. That he had already done so was shameful, but to continue would be nigh unforgiveable. Explaining this to his loved ones, however, was not easy and he was certain that none of them truly understood (including Jasper with his gift of empathy).

Changing his mind was not an option, though. He could feel, on an almost instinctual level, that if he were to give in to expectation he would be doing himself a grave disservice. Not to mention that, for the first time ever, he felt as though he had the chance to be more than he ever was before. To go against that now would pain him in ways he never realized were possible.

It was as if he had opened his eyes to the bright and beautiful world around him in a way like never before. And now he was unable, and unwilling, to close them again. He was like a newborn, except without the uncontrollable, all-consuming bloodlust. It felt as though all of his senses were dampened before, and now they were unblocked in a way he had never experienced. Colors were brighter; the very air seemed crisper somehow, making the scents sharper; sounds were clearer – even the ones he heard in his mind, as though his gift too was now stronger than before.

And all it took was discovering, undeniably, that he had a soul. A _soul_. The undiluted joy that flooded Edward at that bit of knowledge was astounding.

Possibilities now seemed endless, where before he had believed them to be non-existent to him. In truth, though, he simply could not see them from inside the rut he had stuck himself in. He was free now, however – and it was precisely this freedom that had led him to the second life-altering decision he'd reached. Now all he had to do was follow through with his choice and set things in motion.

For that, he needed to speak to Carlisle.

Knocking lightly on his Sire/father's study door, though he knew Carlisle was already aware of his presence due to their supernatural senses, Edward waited politely to be granted entry.

"Come on in, Edward," was the doctor's soft, and knowing, response. It seemed Carlisle had been waiting for the time when his first Childe would be ready to speak to him.

Edward smiled fondly at this. Even though he was the telepath of the family, it never ceased to amaze him how deeply Carlisle knew each and every member of his family – including Alice and Jasper, who had been adopted into their unit, as opposed to being turned by the doctor himself.

"Although I am glad," Carlisle began as Edward took a seat across from him, an affectionate yet concerned look in his eyes, "I must confess to be surprised, as well, that you chose now to have this conversation."

Edward, even without delving into his father's thoughts, knew that he was referring to the fact that the rest of the family were all present in the house, and therefore all would be privy to the conversation about to take place.

The 'teenager' smiled while shrugging slightly, a gesture of fond resignation.

"While only you can truly assist me with this choice of mine, father," Edward explained calmly, happy at the way Carlisle's eyes shone when he called him by that specific term, "this is still something that our family should be aware of. I do not wish to hide anymore."

One of the doctor's pale eyebrows rose at this statement. It was a very mature assertion to make and, while he was proud of his son for showing such progression as an individual, he knew not where this came from.

A loud sigh escaped the younger vampire then and the sound, to Carlisle, was quite self-deprecating. He frowned.

"I should not have been hiding from the start," Edward continued, his eyes downcast as he thought over the recent happenings in their home. "If I had not, if I had been open, forthright, from the beginning of this… this drama, so much could have been avoided, or at least turned out differently."

"There is no way of truly knowing that, son," Carlisle said gently, understanding in his tone and gaze. "What happened happened. Perhaps things might have been different, even better, had we all reacted differently, perhaps they might not have been. However, we cannot lose ourselves in 'what if' scenarios – nothing good would come of it."

Edward stared at his Sire in wonder. This was not because of the advice given – that was a standard occurrence with Carlisle. It was because, for the first time since this entire situation with Bella Swan began, his father was admitting (however subtly) that his first childe may not have made the best decisions – both for himself and his family.

A bemused chuckle escaped Edward as he realized this. Carlisle smiled knowingly – he could read minds, true, but no one knew his son like he did.

"I may have given you nothing but support throughout, Edward," he reasoned aloud, "and that is something you will always, _always_, get from me, but that did not make me blind to your various mishaps, big or small."

The 'teenager' smiled at this, but it also sobered him up quickly. It was not easy, and most certainly not pleasant, acknowledging what he had put his family through. It also made him contemplate what the reactions were going to be when he enlightened the family on his latest, and firmest, decision.

"Now," Carlisle said, sensing that they had reached the heart of this conversation, "what is it that you believe only I can help you with, son?"

Edward took a deep, albeit unneeded, breath to fortify himself.

"I wish to be introduced to The Court," he said resolutely, not a hint of uncertainty in his tone as he looked his father in the eyes directly.

Both of the doctor's eyebrows rose this time, unable to hide his surprise. An unnatural silence settled over the house – a sure sign that he'd also managed to shock the rest of his family with his request. He would deal with their reactions later, however.

"Edward," Carlisle breathed and, along with his astonishment, his hope also came through loud and clear. He had been waiting decades for this moment – the moment when Edward would come to him, willingly, with this request. He had been on the verge of thinking that it would never happen, but now….

"I know," Edward said, a soft smile on his face at Carlisle's thoughts. "I never thought I would ever agree, either. I never believed I would reach this level of acceptance of what I am. But I feel as if this is _right_ – now is exactly the right time for this to occur. I do not know how I know this, but I also cannot deny its truth. I'm ready, Sire. I'm ready to officially claim my place in this world, _our_ world – the world that I actually belong to, but have been running and hiding from for far too long."

He waited with bated breath for Carlisle's response.

"It's not that I'm not happy about this, Edward," the doctor began carefully, not breaking his gaze so that his sincerity could be known, "in fact, I'm ecstatic! But why now, son? Not three days ago you were cursing your very being – you seemed to always absolutely hate your vampiric nature. That is why this decision you've made is just so sudden."

"It _is_ sudden," Edward agreed quickly. "I know that it is. But it also feels inescapable, predestined in a sense. That is why it feels right."

As Carlisle continued to look upon him with confusion, Edward knew he could not escape a more comprehensive explanation. He did not want to tell anyone of Harry yet, though, so he would have to work around that.

"My denial, my hate of what I am, used to come from my belief that I was soulless," he said, choosing his words with care. "I believed that we should not exist at all and so I actively stopped myself from being… _anything_, really. I resisted and fought with everything I was and dug myself into a hole, and then refused to leave it. I blinded myself to all the opportunities open to me, opportunities to become something more, something better, because I was insistent on believing that I was unworthy of such."

"And now?" asked Carlisle, absolutely riveted to his son and the drastic change he had undergone.

"Now… something incredible happened in Italy. I cannot really explain it – partly because it is just so unbelievable still, partly because I cannot seem to find the words. The bottom line, however, is that I know better now."

"What are you saying, Edward?"

"I have a soul," the young vampire breathed out, his conviction incontestable, and the doctor could not have stopped the joy within him from flooding out at those words. "I know this now."

Carlisle wanted to ask how he could be so certain of this, but it just was not that important at that moment. His son, his first Childe, finally believed what he had known all along. That Edward was not the soulless monster he had always made himself out to be.

Swiftly, far too quickly for any human, he vacated his chair and rounded the table. Edward stood to meet him and Carlisle enveloped him in a hug that showed all of the happiness and relief and pride he felt.

"Finally," he whispered out, causing Edward to chuckle. "Finally, Edward. I had feared you would spend all of eternity believing yourself a monster."

Releasing his hold, he looked his son in the eyes. "So… The Court?" he asked, looking for confirmation.

"Yes," Edward replied determinedly. "I truly do wish to be officially introduced to the Vampire Court, and as your heir."

"And so it shall be done."

**:::::::::**

"You seem troubled, young one."

Harry sighed, though the affection, even in that little sound, did not go unnoticed.

"I know you are older than just about everyone in all the universe, Lord Loss," he said with mock annoyance, "but it really is quite maddening when you call me that."

"Can you really blame me, my treasure?" the great Lord asked unrepentantly. "You are naught but a babe to me – and I worry for you greatly, so do not attempt to change the subject."

The corners of Harry's mouth tugged up into a smile he could not hold back. He turned to face his companion, turning away from the window of his hotel suite, which overlooked many of the canals of Venice and provided a breathtaking view, and fully stepping into a whole new realm of existence entirely.

The sight that greeted him was always awe-inspiring, even if it was different every time he stepped into this realm.

On this night, Harry found himself in a vast desert at twilight. The physical description, however, was as far as familiarity went when it came to this place, for everything else defied earth's reality. There was no sunset, was one difference, for there was no sun in this place – ever. The sand upon which he now stood was soft, as one would expect from the kind on a beach, but it was black as pitch and glowed delicately with an intrinsic light. The sky was a rich violet color, but no stars twinkled here. Perhaps the strangest thing, though, was the very many shadows dancing about upon the air – with seemingly nothing around to create them. These, Harry knew, were the Lord's personal Shadow Guardians, always with him even though very few ever stood against one such as him. Such was his unquestionable supremacy.

Well, that would have been the strangest thing, if not for the two squishy, purple colored armchairs – looking as though they had been carved from the sky above them – that were the only things occupying the entire space – apart from the two visitors.

Harry looked up at his companion with a sincere smile – the kind he gave to very few.

The other was an unusually tall being, standing at nearly 7 feet in height; his skin was so pale it was very nearly luminous and so smooth it outstripped marble; his hair, usually hidden beneath a deep cowl that also kept his face a mystery to all who looked upon him, was black as midnight and cut neatly about his striking, aristocratic face. A face that Harry Potter, and exceptionally few others, had the great privilege of seeing regularly. For all the features that made the appearance ethereal in its beauty – though all would be incapable of expressing this in words – it was his eyes that caught and held every being without fail. The purest solid mercury orbs, set in such a pallid face, never failed to render one speechless. Not to mention quite intimidated, as well.

This was why the undeniable affection being exuded by Harry was so odd.

"Good evening, Lord Death," he said genially, to which the great Lord snorted in amusement.

"My dear Harry," Lord Death returned, his hands reaching out and gently grasping the face of the last of the ancient, and once great, Potter family. The look in his wise eyes softened further. Harry then found himself under the intense scrutiny of the most familial figure he'd ever known. Deep happiness and fear gripped him at once in that moment.

Happiness due to the fact that, with this eminent being before him, he truly knew what it was to have, and to be, family – as opposed to simply being 'like' one of the family. The fear that Harry felt was because he now had something vital to lose. While this was true for him before, with the friends he had had and loved, what seemed like a lifetime ago, the anxiety that gripped him now was the most potent he'd ever experienced. Perhaps this was because, for all his skills and power, Death was really the only close companion he had. Or rather, he was the only one he truly cared for now.

"Come," the Lord said softly, breaking him out of his musings and leading him over to one of the seats. "Sit; tell me what so concerned you before melancholy struck."

Harry chuckled, his dark mood effectively broken. The great understanding Death had of him would never stop surprising the raven-haired being.

"He changed his mind," Harry said, deciding not to evade the topic any longer, and knowing that Death would immediately be aware of whom he spoke. "I did not have to escort, let alone fight, his soul."

The Lord's lips stretched slightly into a small, but still smug, smile. "I did tell you that you that his soul would not be parting this day, as I recall."

"Yes, yes," Harry rolled his eyes while responding. "You did tell me that, oh Omniscient One – at least in regard to all things death-related. I still had to be there, you know that – just in case."

"Of course." Death nodded sagely. "Protocol is never more necessary than when the passage of eternal souls is concerned."

Here his gaze turned calculating and Harry knew that there would be no way around the truth.

"But my knowledge regarding the outcome of the young vampire's soul did not surprise you, and so this is not what affected you in any way."

The young Potter sighed in resignation.

"He could see me," he stated simply and frankly. "From the time I got there."

Lord Death raised a single eyebrow at this – the only indicator that he had been taken by surprise. Harry smirked over his small accomplishment, however silly it seemed. This was _the Lord of Death_, after all, and the younger would take his triumphs were he could.

"Could he?" Death asked, clearly intrigued but not really concerned about it. "How... interesting."

"That's it?" challenged Harry, a bit bemused. "That's your response when I tell you that someone could see a Soldier of yours – _before_ he was meant to?"

"Well, what would you have liked me to have said, Cherished One?" The Lord was amused and not even attempting to hide it. "This is a rare occurrence, to be sure, but it is not unheard of."

"So... does it mean something?" Harry was impatient now – he'd been pondering this since it happened.

"It may," was the cautious, and evasive, reply. "It may not."

And wasn't that just the most unhelpful answer he could have received. The young Soldier shook his head – why did he ever think to expect something different? Lord Death was all about allowing him to experience his life for himself, as it played out. Harry was grateful for that (he truly was), especially considering how little of his life was really his own when he was growing up, but sometimes he just wanted the answers given to him.

Harry sighed, realising how childish his thoughts sounded. He moved on.

"That's not all," he said cautiously.

Death straightened up, sensing that they were getting to the heart of the raven's anxiety only now.

"I, uh, may have, possibly... probably... done something," Harry was murmuring, avoiding eye contact, much like a little boy trying to explain the trouble he'd caused to his father. "Spontaneously, of course – I didn't plan it."

Another raised eyebrow, but (the youth noted with relief) still with the earlier amusement.

"What have you done now, Harry?" he asked, almost as though he expected something to happen. "Did you tell him that the great and all-powerful Lord of Death wanted to meet him personally because of he'd angered me for some or other reason?"

"I only did that one time!" Harry defended immediately. "He was annoying and it was starting to grate on my nerves. Besides, it shut him up quickly enough."

The Lord chuckled heartily, and the young smiled happily knowing that few others could garner such a reaction from this being.

"And it was quite entertaining, watching his reaction – especially since you accompanied him on the entire journey, only telling at the very end that he would not actually meet me."

Harry grinned unrepentantly, but sobered up quickly when Death spoke again.

"Well, if not that, then what _did_ you do?"

The Soldier mumbled softly and quickly, something that did not sound like any existing language.

"You are going to have to repeat that, Dear One – not even I could get the gist of that."

Harry gave him a weak glare for his teasing, but complied nonetheless.

"I said, 'I touched his soul'."

Death was silent for long enough that Harry began to fidget.

"You touched the soul of someone you were not escorting from the realm of the living?" he confirmed slowly.

Harry nodded. "But in my defence," he said quickly, trying to reason out his actions, "he was really starting to piss me off – what with all his arrogant, 'I know everything about everything and you can't know anything', posturing about him not possibly being able to have a soul – and I just couldn't stand it anymore! So I reached in and took hold of his spirit, made him aware. I practically did him a favour!"

By the end of this little rant, the Reaper Elite could tell that Death was trying to hold back his laughter. He had never seen Harry get quite so worked up about anyone in all the time he'd known him. That, coupled with the becoming flush on his cheeks, was rather telling. He would let his Soldier figure that out on his own, though.

"Why, then, are you so agitated, young Harry?" he asked instead.

"It felt different," Harry whispered, his uncertainty shining through more than ever. "I felt warmth, like sunshine, instead of the usual cool feeling that comes with such contact. It was so strange."

"In a negative way?" asked the Lord gently.

Harry shook his head hesitantly. "N-no – the opposite, actually."

Death hummed at that. "I think that you should not dwell on that too much, my Harry. Brooding, after all, is hardly ever productive. I am glad you told me, however. You are not alone in this, or in anything, anymore. You know this, yes?"

A small smile found its way onto the raven's fine features. He nodded his agreement. "I know."

"Good," said the Lord firmly, indicating the end to that particular conversation. "Now, I have a job I wish to put you in charge of – a longer term endeavour than what is usual."

Instantly captivated, Harry sat up at full attention. He did not say anything, though, but simply waited for Death to continue.

"You, of course, already know of the rash of killings in Seattle." Harry nodded. "The situation, up until now, has been handled effectively; we have managed to ensure, one way or another, that all of the victims, thus far, have only been those whose souls were meant to depart at the time. However, a dangerous twist has occurred – something far too alarming to leave unheeded.

"The vampire that is the cause of all this, Victoria, has – unintentionally – managed to turn someone with a very specific... gift."

"What gift?" asked Harry, knowing that this was the cause of the danger.

"This newborn has the ability to blind me."

Harry gasped in shock. He didn't even think such a thing was possible! Blinding Lord Death meant that he could not keep track, where Victoria was concerned, of the souls available to her. That meant that the Lord would not be able to keep her from killing those not yet intended for death. Souls that were not yet meant to depart would be lost among those who were supposed to leave; chaos would reign. The entire balance of life and death would be thrown asunder. And the damage un-reaped souls could cause...

Catastrophe.

That was the only word that Harry thought fit this situation now.

"I'll do it," he breathed immediately, without hesitation. "I'll do it; I want to head this job."

Lord Death smiled gently, though it was not really a happy smile due to the grave circumstances. "There is no one I would trust more to lead in this case."

Harry swelled with pride at that assertion, but still managed to keep his focus and looked to the Lord for instruction.

"You depart without delay," he said grimly. "Your destination: Forks, Washington."

**:_._._._._._._._._:**

**Author's note: **Okay, so not much in the way of action for this chapter, but it was necessary. We can't just be allowed to see the characters destination – we have to shown the journey. That is where the story really unfolds, after all.

Hope you guys enjoyed this, nonetheless. I am still totally open to your suggestions and criticisms – I would really love to know where and how I can better my writing. Please leave a review to let me know your thoughts.

PS – also let me know your thoughts on Bella Swan. Do you want her to be a bad guy or good guy? Do you want her bashed? Or should I just not have her in the story?

Thank you all! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own **Harry Potter** or **Twilight** – they belong to J. K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer, respectively.

**Author's note: **Another chapter! And while I am really excited by this story and the response it's gotten, I have to say that I have been neglecting 'Advent' as a result… But, I can tell you (to those reading that fic as well and anyone who'd like to), I am working on the final chapter – it's just much more difficult than I thought it would be.

Anyhow, as always, thank you guys so much for the reviews/faves/alerts! They have been awesome and I cannot thank you enough for the readership. You guys rock!

Enjoy :)

**Welcome to the Real World**

**Summary: **Edward discovers he has a soul – in the most astonishing way… E/H slash.

**Chapter Three: A Surprise Visit**

**:_._._._._._._._._:**

"…_I've missed you so much, Edward – I don't know what to do without you. I __need__ you! If this is about me, Edward, then I can change – I swear to you, I can! Just give me the chance and I'll be absolutely anything you need, Edward! Please, jus-"_

The recorded message cut off abruptly then. Edward blew out a gust of air – partly in sadness, partly in frustration. Bella had now taken to calling both the house phone and his cell, which he never answered when he knew it was her.

It did hurt him, though, feeling so useless. He had never wished to cause Bella any pain, and he longed to eradicate her hurt now. He knew that he could not, however. This was something that Bella would have to get over on her own. However, judging by this, and every, message he had received from her, his ex-girlfriend had apparently lost the knowledge, let alone the will, to stand on her own two feet. It seemed that she honestly believed she needed Edward constantly in order to get on with anything – and even then, it would be Edward doing the living for her. She was no longer an individual and it killed Edward to realize that this was, in part, his fault.

What had he done to the interesting, independent girl he had first met? Was there no trace of her left at all within the Bella that existed now?

Edward shook his head firmly. He did not have the answers to those questions, but he did know (no matter how much it pained him) he could not go back, would not go back.

He deleted the message.

Making his way downstairs from his room on the third floor of the house, he lost himself in his thoughts once again. So many changes were being made, with him and around him, and his mind felt more strained than ever thinking on it all. He did not regret his decision to be introduced to the Vampire Court, not at all. In fact, he felt lighter having made that choice. However, the reactions of his family (aside from Carlisle, who was elated to have the opportunity to finally and officially present his Heir) were tiresome. Esme, his ever-loving mother-figure, was torn between happiness (in part because her husband and mate was so overjoyed, in part because her first 'son' was progressing so wonderfully as an individual) and anxiety (due to the sheer size of the responsibility that Edward had decided to take on). His siblings' reactions varied, and were not nearly so clear-cut.

Alice, the sibling he felt closest to, had been avoiding him. He knew it was because the emotions she was feeling were contradictory; this was causing a bit a tension within her and towards him. On the one hand, she was happy for him. Happy that he did not seem as lost as before, or so stressed out, and happy that he was doing things that he truly wanted with his life now. On the other hand, though, she was still prickly over the fact that he refused to continue to date Bella (someone she considered to be her best friend and who she still sorely wanted as a sister). She was even more upset that his current contentment was found _after _he had broken up with the Chief's daughter. She refused to see that his decision did not mean there was anything wrong with Bella, but simply that they were wrong for each other.

Jasper, much like Alice, his wife and mate, had mixed emotions – though his were not quite on such a directly personal, or sentimental, level. He was proud of Edward for deciding to no longer stagnate as he had been. He was also proud of the fact that this decision signaled Edward's acceptance of his being a vampire, as well as his role as Heir to the family. He was happy about his newfound independence. The not-so-positive feelings, however, stemmed from his almost instinctive wariness – for Edward and for the family as a unit. Jasper has always felt this way about any change, though, so it was to be expected.

Rosalie, of all the family, felt the most extremely over Edward's choice. To put it mildly, she was pissed off. Unlike the rest, who have never really been intrigued or even interested, the blond beauty has always been fascinated by the Court. Ever since she had been told about it, she had wanted to be introduced and integrated herself; however, per the Vampire rule, no other Childe of a Sire may be introduced at Court before the Heir of said Sire has been introduced. As Edward had always refused being brought into the Court, Rosalie never got her chance. Truth be told, she has always resented Edward for this (among other things). Until then, though, she had managed to put it aside, as it seemed Edward would never agree. Now that he has, however, he has effectively ensured that she would not immediately receive the acclaim that she wished to gain within the Court.

This was because everyone was always far more interested in the Heir, the one given the high status within the community due to the solid power he or she would lend their coven. Thus, Rosalie would be relegated to the sidelines, depending on how much effort she was willing to put into rising in the ranks. Like all vampires, though, especially those born into luxury as she was (both as a human and as a vampire), Rose was not used to actually working for what she wanted.

Apart from that, she would have to wait a full year before she could be introduced. This would be the year given to Edward to fully and firmly integrate himself within the vampire community, to carve a place, as it were. This was done for the benefit of the Heir (so that he or she may adapt without the added pressures of competing siblings), the Sire (so that he or she may focus solely on his or her Heir without distraction) and the Court (so that they may not deal with the stresses that come with assimilating too many at once). Rosalie, of course, refused to accept any of this and was, essentially, being petty as a result. If vampires could get headaches, the tension with Rose would have brought on a migraine.

Truly the easiest person to be around currently, at least for Edward, was Emmett. The happy-go-lucky attitude that his youngest (albeit largest) brother always exuded was refreshing to the bronze-haired vampire. In all honesty, Edward could admit that he had never appreciated this quality of Emmett as much as he did then. While his brother did not know much about the Court, and wouldn't be able to handle such a stuffy crowd and atmosphere himself, he was simply happy for Edward. He was happy that he was no longer suicidal – when Edward had heard that particular thought, he had felt it like a ten ton force ramming into his chest. _What had he very nearly put his family through?_ The other reason Edward would rather be around Emmett was his stance on his break-up with Bella. He was secretly relieved that Edward was no longer with the girl. While she was interesting (in comparison to the sheer nothingness that normally happened around his family) he never felt that she and Edward made much of a match. He also, to a lesser degree, felt that the relationship was far more trouble than it was worth.

And, callous though it may sound, Edward was beginning to agree. Not because he felt any animosity towards Bella, or even the situations they have been in, but because he had now had ample time to think things through. So much unnecessary pain and conflict could have been avoided if only he and Bella had truly considered everything, if they had reacted more coolly and maturely. Even if they had not, though, the hurt could still have been dealt with better if they had only _taken responsibility for all they had caused_. But they had not done so, and thus they had never learned from their mistakes; they had not become any better – both as individuals and as a couple.

As they say: vision in hindsight is 20/20.

Entering the living room, Edward looked up and froze. Peripherally, he took note of Emmett sitting on one of the couches watching television. This is not what grabbed and held his attention, though.

Through the glass wall facing the back of the house, not far from the door and leaning against a tree as though without a care, Edward could see the very casual figure of Harry.

"What are you doing here?" was the first thing out of the vampire's mouth, and once again sounding much more inhospitable than intended.

What was it about this being that set him on edge so much?

Emmett, having turned to him as he spoke, now looked around himself, bewildered, before turning back to face him.

"Dude," he said slowly, confusion still in his eyes, "I _live_ here…"

"Not you," said Edward, shaking his head and walking out before his brother could respond.

"Hey, Ed," Harry greeted when he had reached him, smirk firmly in place. "Nice house."

"It's Edward," stressed the undead being – he absolutely loathed his name being butchered.

"Right… still so stiff then?" teased Harry and, for some odd reason, the familiarity he used both warmed and vexed Edward greatly. "What? Not happy to see me?"

"Why are you here?" asked the vampire again.

Before he could receive a response, however, his eyes widened in horror as he remembered exactly what Harry was – a reaper. Death's Soldier.

"Oh, God, no," he gasped out. "Not here… It's not – not my fam-"

"Whoa, whoa – calm yourself, Edward," Harry placated before he became the first vampire ever to have a heart attack. "I'm not on the job right now."

The relief Edward felt hearing that was palpable, even though his breathing was still quite harsh.

"Then what… why come here?" he bit out, still reeling from the intense fear he had just felt.

"Oh, I was in the neighborhood," said Harry nonchalantly. "Thought I'd drop in, say 'Hi'."

For a beat, Edward could only stare incredulously. And then he broke.

"Urgh!" he growled menacingly (though one would not be able to tell based on Harry's laughing face). "You are so _infuriating_! Do you ever give a straight answer to _anything_?"

"Not if I can help it," was Harry's candid response, once his chuckles had subsided and he had pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.

"As it happens," he continued, more subdued now, "I am here on business."

"But you just said-"

"I know what I said, Edward," Harry interrupted, lest the vampire work himself up again, "and it still holds true. But I really am here to work; I'm just not working _right now_."

"Right," said Edward, taking yet another unneeded breath. "Right. So… can you talk about… your _work_?"

"Not really," replied Harry, smirking at the vampire's obvious discomfort with what he was. "But I can tell you I passed through Seattle before coming here."

He looked at Edward expectantly then, as though he should know something about that.

"Seattle?" Edward prompted, wondering exactly what he was supposed to understand by the location alone. "How would I know… what's…?"

It hit him. The multiple killings that had been occurring in that city; the deaths so frequent, they had become a norm to hear about in the news. The killings that he knew were not the work of any humans – killings that were clearly (at least to those of his kind) a vampire's doing.

"Oh," was his succinct response.

"Indeed," Harry returned.

"But what does that have to do with me? Or my family?" asked the vampire, nervous, though he didn't know why.

Harry cocked an eyebrow. "I was hoping you would tell me."

"I – we have _nothing_ to do with that," Edward said indignantly, highly offended by the accusation.

Harry was unfazed. "Not directly, no."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Do you perhaps know any redhead vamps, Edward?" Harry asked by way of a response.

"What does that have…?" Edward started, but trailed off with a sigh. This habit of catching up a second too late was really starting to annoy him. Worse still, it only seemed to happen around Harry. "A redhead vampire?"

He asked this for confirmation, not really wanting or needing an answer; he already had a chilling suspicion where this was going.

"One does come to mind," he said finally.

"And her name wouldn't happen to be Victoria, by any chance?" prompted Harry.

Edward blew out a frustrated breath. "I thought we were rid of them! I should not have been so naïve."

"Hmmm," was the response received.

Clearly, Harry was not someone who believed in coddling people by denying the truth. Edward both welcomed and rejected this – he had always, even as a human, been someone who was comforted and placated whether he was in the wrong or not. For want of a better word, and though he would be hard-pressed to admit it out loud, he was quite _spoilt_.

This was not a nice realization to make about one's self.

"I'd like for you to explain, Edward," Harry said, all business now (and the vampire already missed his blithe nature).

The Cullen Heir knew this was a command, not a request, and, while it did irk him, he found he could do nothing but do as told.

"Last year we had a… situation with three nomadic vampires. I had taken my… my ex-girlfriend-"

"Isabella Swan," Harry input when Edward faltered for a moment "A human."

"Yes," said the vampire, still unnerved at just how much information Harry was privy to, and also uncertain as to why he felt so awkward speaking of Bella with him. He continued nonetheless. "Anyway, I had taken her to spend the day with my family and I – we were playing baseball. During the game, these vampires showed up and it was too late to try and get Bella away from them. We all surrounded her, trying to mask her scent, but one of them – James, the tracker of the group – caught it regardless."

Edward paused. He still did not like thinking of that time, and how foolish he had been.

"Some of us managed to distract James for a time, while Esme watched over Charlie, Bella's father, and Alice and Jasper took Bella to Arizona to get her away. James caught on, though, and managed to trick Bella and get her alone. We managed to get to her in time to save her and we destroyed James. Victoria had run off by then and Laurent – the last member of the trio – said he wanted nothing to do with James and ran off as well. Like I said before, I thought that was the end of it. But now, it seems, she is out for revenge."

"It does fit," Harry said after a while, his gaze far off as though weighing Edward's version of events with other information that he had. "The black intent surrounding Victoria is usually associated with hatred and vengeance. James must have been Victoria's mate."

"He was going to kill Bella!" Edward defended angrily, stung by Harry's statement far more than was warranted. "And for sport!"

"Relax," said Harry with a roll of his eyes, clearly regaining some of his laidback nature. "I'm not judging your actions, Edward. I am merely putting the puzzle pieces together."

Edward calmed down instantly, but looked away, embarrassed by his outburst.

"And thank you," he added, his tone far softer than Edward had heard it before. "Your information was helpful, at the very least in allowing a greater understanding of Victoria. I am grateful you agreed to share it with me."

For a moment Edward could not find the words to say, but eventually managed to find his voice.

"You're welcome. I'm… I'm happy I could help."

Harry's lips quirked and he began to turn away. "Well, until next time, Edward."

"Wait, you're leaving?" Edward exclaimed sharply, his eyes widening due to both his outburst and the ever-surprising want to not be out of Harry's company. "I, uh, I mean already?"

"Aw," cooed Harry teasingly, his eyes glittering with amusement and something gentler, yet unnamable. "You really were happy to see me!" He touched his heart for effect.

Edward rolled his eyes and decided to divert attention. "You know Victoria is our responsibility, right? We are not going to stay out of it if she's coming for us."

Harry appraised him seriously, noting the sincerity of his words, the determination. "I wouldn't expect you to," he said finally. He winked, effectively ending the solemn moment. "See you around."

"Where…" Edward said, interrupting his departure yet again. "Where are you staying? You know, while you are… working?"

"Careful, Edward," was his playful response. "Your family already thinks you're crazy – don't push it."

"What?" asked the vampire, not understanding the seemingly random statement. "My family does not think I am crazy."

The Soldier winced, a look of mock-sympathy on his face. "They do now."

Edward frowned before looking back towards glass wall of his house. There, just inside, he saw his entire family watching him strangely, as though he'd lost his mind… Realization dawned on him quickly, along with an icy feeling of dread.

"They can see you, too," he said hesitantly, "can't they?"

Harry smirked. "Like I told you before, Edward: for some reason, you are _special_."

"But, but… can you, I don't know … _make_ yourself visible to them?"

"I could…" Harry said slowly, a mischievous and quite foreboding grin forming, "but where would be the fun in that?" He then faded, as he did before, into black smoke before disappearing entirely.

"Harry?" Edward called out anyway, not yet willing to believe that he would do this to him. "Harry! Urgh!"

He punched a hole into the tree, frustration overcoming him momentarily. Eventually, he could stall no longer and slowly turned to make his way back to the house, attempting to prepare himself for the reactions he would receive.

Unsurprisingly, Emmett was the first to speak when he walked into the living room.

"So… you named the tree Harry?"

**:::::::::**

It was maybe an hour before sunset by the time Harry got back to Seattle. He landed neatly on the rooftop from which he could view the warehouse – the very same one Victoria was using to keep her newborn army. She was quite clever in this regard, making use of existing myths about vampires in order to keep her creations in check – like bursting into flame and turning to ash in the sunlight.

"What have we got?" he asked the woman already situated on the rooftop, kneeling beside her.

"Twenty-five newborns, one vamp about a year old, no Victoria," was the prompt response. "I'd estimate around ten not making it through the night, just based on their temperament, but we can't see a damn thing for certain regarding any of their souls!"

Su Li never did have a problem making her frustrations known – at least, this is what Harry had come to realize once he'd gotten to know her. Sadly, this was only after he'd taken on the role of one of Death's Soldiers – Su already being one by that time.

He had known the Japanese girl only by name when attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (she'd been a Ravenclaw, if he remembered correctly). What he, and too many other people, hadn't known, though, was that Su was one of the brave fighters – and one of the casualties – of the intense wizarding war at the time. Just for that, Harry would always regret not knowing her in that life. Having since gotten to know her, however, he now also regretted it due to what a wonderful person she was.

With her petite frame and all the right curves, she was a stunning sight to behold. When coupled with her pale skin, rosy lips, beautiful honey eyes and ice white hair, though, she could never be ignored. Harry certainly couldn't, the first time he'd met her. And now she was one of the raven's closest and most trusted Majors amongst Death's Soldiers.

"You know," she continued, breaking Harry from his musings, "it almost makes me wish one of the ten to be killed is this mystery vampire that's blinding us."

"Almost," Harry replied grudgingly, "but not quite."

She gave him an amused look at that. "For one of Death's Soldiers, darling – his bloody General, for Merlin's sake – you sure do get unsettled when it comes to taking lives."

Harry returned her gaze with one of his own, filled with exasperation. "When it is unnecessary, then yes, I do. Death is not a game. It – _he_ – should be taken seriously."

"And I understand that, I really do. But when it comes to this particular vamp – we're never going to be able to tell whether his or soul is to be reaped at any time. _Ever_. Even if it didn't blind us to everyone else, the gift is _within_ it, and it blocks the being entirely."

Harry let out a weary sigh. "I know," he said. "We have no choice but to kill this one being irrespective and ensure his or her soul moves on. I know. I just wish it were different, that there was some loophole we could find instead."

Su didn't reply – there was no need to. A moment of silence passed before she spoke again. "What are we going to do? We're going in blind, here – how do we deal with this?"

"Best we can do is to get each newborn away from the army, away from Victoria," was Harry's reply; clearly he'd spent time thinking on this problem. "We then break the link between them. If we're still blind around the newborn, we'll know."

"And how do we break the link?"

"By giving them another option," said Harry, as if this were a simple endeavor. "If their souls aren't meant to be reaped yet, I think we should send them to Haven."

"Haven doesn't have the manpower do deal with this many newborns," Su pointed out practically – and annoyingly.

"Then we'll recruit," the green-eyed being said, more curtly than intended (he really didn't like the idea of failing anyone, not even newborns with no connection to him). He took a breath to calm himself. "Listen, Su, we can't just let them loose on the world if their souls still have time on Earth. This," he pointed to the warehouse where the newborns were being held, "this is the only life they know – it would be beyond unfair to expect them to survive well outside of this."

"Not to mention the sheer chaos they could cause in the Natural world," Su said, choosing not to remind Harry that it really wasn't his problem. He was grateful for that.

"Exactly," he said, giving her a small smile. She returned it.

"So, how do we do this?" was her next enquiry, getting back to the matter at hand.

"Slowly," Harry replied bluntly. "We cannot do anything that would influence the world of the living greatly, and we have to be even more cautious with the Natural world – this hampers us, but we can manage it. We absolutely cannot risk Victoria knowing about us, though. Who knows what she'll do if made to panic or is driven to desperation. And I don't even want to think about what would happen if one of us were somehow captured by her."

"Why?" asked Su, genuinely confused. "It's not like we can die."

"True, but we can be held hostage, trapped and made to do her bidding."

Su's eyes widened, both in shock and denial. "That is arcane magic! What are the chances that she would know anything about that?"

Harry shrugged. "She's old, she might or she might not. But I'd rather not risk it regardless."

Su nodded her definite agreement. "So…" she said, still a bit shaken at the thought of being enslaved by a psycho vampire, "one newborn at a time?"

"Yep. And it would be best if Soldiers who used to be magical were tasked with this. That power will be needed to calm the newborns down enough so that they listen to our proposition – should we be giving them one."

"Right," said Su, her anxiety completely gone now – she was quite efficient that way, "so our plan is process of elimination – I like it. And once the blind-spot is dealt with, the situation with Victoria can play out as it was going to."

She gave Harry a sideways look at this point, knowing something was up with him. And he'd thought he'd managed to hide his distraction so well. Damn bronze-haired vampires everywhere!

"Our job will be done here," she continued, studying him closely while awaiting his confirmation.

Harry paused for a beat before responding and, he could tell, that was just long enough for Su to validate her suspicions. She now knew that there was something the raven was not telling her.

He purposefully kept his face blank, though, even as his emotions went haywire while he processed her words.

"Of course," he replied tonelessly, his eyes averted. "It will be over and there'll be no reason for us to remain."

And something inside him froze as he said it.

**:_._._._._._._._._:**

**Author's note: **In case you guys were interested, one of the biggest inspirations for this story is the song 'O, Death' – the Jen Titus version (which is the version used in Supernatural when they introduce Death for the first time). This can be found on YouTube. Great scene and great track – however morbid that may sound :P

Regarding Bella – judging by the reviews I've received, it's a mixed bag. So for now and until I know what to do with her, she will remain in the background – I won't just cut her out because, as much as some of us would like, she can't just drop off the planet…

Hope you all liked this chapter. Please leave a review to let me know your thoughts. I do take your suggestions and criticisms into consideration, I promise.

'Til next time….


End file.
